Location: Barcelona
Dates: January 20 – 21
AEGEE-Europe took part in the second YOUTHreach consortium meeting, held over two days in Barcelona, representing our role within the project’s communication and dissemination work. The meeting brought together project partners, advisory bodies, and youth representatives to review progress, exchange perspectives, and strengthen collaboration across the consortium. For AEGEE-Europe, the meeting provided a valuable opportunity to exchange with partners and contribute to discussions on the project’s current developments, and ensure that youth perspectives remain central, and reinforce cooperation with key stakeholders.
Throughout the first day, partners shared updates on the ongoing development of YOUTHreach, over the past year, important milestones have been reached, including the establishment of stakeholder engagement groups across partner countries and the development of key research materials such as study protocols, questionnaires, and guidance documents for clinicians, researchers, and youth co-researchers.
Clinical studies are currently underway across the project sites, supported by translated research materials to ensure accessibility in all participating countries. Most ethical approval procedures have already been completed or resubmitted, while the remaining applications are in preparation, marking steady progress in the implementation of the research phase of the project. . Discussions highlighted the importance of strong coordination between partners and the value of continuous dialogue across disciplines. AEGEE-Europe closely followed these exchanges to better align future communication and dissemination efforts with the project’s milestones and priorities.
A particularly relevant moment for AEGEE-Europe was the involvement of the Youth Advisory Group (YAG). Their contributions and reflections underlined the importance of meaningful youth participation, ethical responsibility, and respect for personal experiences within mental health research. Engaging with the YAG during the meeting allowed us to further strengthen our connection with youth representatives and better understand how their voices can be amplified through communication activities linked to the project.
The meeting also addressed broader engagement and outreach strategies, including how YOUTHreach will involve stakeholders and assess the long-term impact of its interventions. As part of the dissemination and communication team, AEGEE-Europe used these discussions to identify opportunities for clearer messaging, increased visibility, and more accessible communication tailored to young people and youth organisations across Europe. Informal moments throughout the day further enabled networking and exchange, helping to consolidate relationships within the consortium.
On the second day, the focus shifted to innovation, data management, and the future impact of the project. Presentations on technological approaches, including the use of AI and predictive models, offered insight into how YOUTHreach aims to improve mental health support in the long term. Sessions on project management, dissemination, and exploitation were especially relevant for AEGEE-Europe, as they provided clarity on upcoming communication needs and the role of partners in sharing project outcomes responsibly and effectively.
Overall, the consortium meeting in Barcelona served as a valuable moment for AEGEE-Europe to continue contributing to the development of the YOUTHreach project, , strengthen collaboration with outreach responsibles and the Youth Advisory Group, and reinforce our role in ensuring that the project’s work is communicated clearly, ethically, and with young people at its core. The discussions and connections formed over these two days will directly inform our ongoing communication and dissemination activities within the consortium.
